Record Collector Presents – XTC, 2026

Summary

Record Collector Presents XTC gathers Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding and Dave Gregory in one 2026 special subtitled Making Plans For Vinyl, and Jeremy Allen's edition runs every album from White Music at 12 to Wasp Star at 82 with new interviews alongside.

Record Collector Presents XTC (2026) is a special edition rather than a monthly, edited by Jeremy Allen, and it walks the Swindon band album by album. Interviews carry Thomas Dolby at 9, Steve Lillywhite at 16, John Leckie at 20, Hugh Padgham at 30, Andy Partridge at 38, Colin Moulding at 56, Dave Gregory at 68, Terry Chambers on EXTC at 94 and Stewart Lee at 114. Album pieces run White Music at 12, Go 2 at 14, Drums And Wires at 18, Black Sea at 22, English Settlement at 28, Mummer at 32,The Big Express at 44, 25 O'Clock at 52, Skylarking at 54, Psonic Psunspot at 62, Oranges & Lemons at 64, Nonsuch at 74, Apple Venus at 80 and Wasp Star at 82.

The special also covers The Dukes Of Stratosphear at 34, a Swindon walk at 46, two collectors at 6 and 88, Punk Vs Prog at 84, Fuzzy Warbles at 102 and a selected discography at 108. For XTC collectors this is the most complete single-issue treatment available, since it pairs every record with the people who made it.

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Content Guide

▸ Interviews
p.38 · INTERVIEW: ANDY PARTRIDGE
JR Moores interviews Andy Partridge at 38, the band's principal songwriter, in one of the special's central conversations. Partridge covers the writing and the records across the albums that follow in these pages. Read this first, then take the album pieces in order, since his account frames the whole run.

p.56 · INTERVIEW: COLIN MOULDING
Huw Thomas speaks with Colin Moulding at 56, the band's other songwriter, whose voice and bass shaped the records alongside Partridge's. The interview covers his songs and his view of the band. Play the Moulding-written singles back to back after reading, since his contribution is often undercounted.

p.68 · INTERVIEW: DAVE GREGORY
Mike Barnes interviews Dave Gregory at 68, covering his guitar work and the records he played on. The piece also connects to The Dukes Of Stratosphear at 34, told with Gregory's brother Ian. Listen to Drums And Wires for the playing he describes here.

p.94 · INTERVIEW: TERRY CHAMBERS EXTC
JR Moores talks to Terry Chambers at 94 about EXTC, the project carrying XTC's music forward with Chambers and friends. The piece covers why he does it and what the shows involve. Check the tour dates listed in the special if you want to hear the songs live.

▸ Producers & Engineers
p.16 · INTERVIEW: STEVE LILLYWHITE
Mark Fisher interviews producer Steve Lillywhite at 16, covering the records he made with the band. The piece deals with the studio decisions behind the sound. Compare the albums he produced here against the ones that follow, since the production shift is audible.

p.20 · INTERVIEW: JOHN LECKIE
Emma Harrison speaks with John Leckie at 20 about his work with XTC. The interview covers the sessions and the approach in the room. Listen to the album he made with the band while reading his account of it.

p.30 · INTERVIEW: HUGH PADGHAM
Jamie Atkins interviews Hugh Padgham at 30, the engineer and producer whose work with the band is among their best known. The piece covers the drum sounds and the recording method. Focus on the drum sound on the records he worked on, which is the detail he is known for.

▸ Albums
p.18 · ALBUM: DRUMS AND WIRES
Drums And Wires gets its album piece at 18, covering the record that moved the band toward the guitar sound Dave Gregory discusses at 68. The piece deals with the songs and the sessions. Play it as the turning point between the earlier and later records.

p.54 · ALBUM: SKYLARKING
Samuel Cox covers Skylarking at 54, the album with the production story Hugh Padgham addresses at 30. The piece works through the songs and the recording. Listen to it start to finish, since the running order matters on this record.

p.74 · ALBUM: NONSUCH
Dave Pollock writes on Nonsuch at 74, covering the album and its standing in the catalogue. The piece deals with the songs and their arrangement. Put it on after Skylarking to hear how far the band travelled.

▸ Features
p.34 · THE DUKES OF STRATOSHEAR
Huw Thomas covers The Dukes Of Stratosphear at 34 with Dave Gregory's brother Ian, dealing with the band's psychedelic side project. The piece covers the records and the pseudonyms. Play the Dukes records separately from XTC, since they are a distinct thing.

p.46 · SWINDON WALK
Samuel Cox walks Swindon at 46, tying the town to the band's songs and history. The piece covers the places behind the records. Visit the locations on a Swindon trip with the band's records playing.

p.84 · PUNK VS PROG
John Robb and Jerry Ewing argue Punk Vs Prog at 84, placing XTC between the two movements. The piece covers where the band sat in that argument. Read it before the album pieces, since it explains the era the band arrived in.

p.108 · SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY
The selected discography at 108 closes the reference material, listing the records with their details. It is the checklist for collectors. Tick off what you own, then use it to plan what to buy next.

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Editor's Take

Record Collector Presents XTC is the most complete single-issue treatment of the band available, and the structure earns it: every album from White Music at 12 to Wasp Star at 82 gets a piece, and Partridge at 38, Moulding at 56 and Gregory at 68 are all in the same special, which no monthly could fit. The producers strand at 16, 20 and 30 is the smartest editorial decision, because Lillywhite, Leckie and Padgham explain the sound rather than just praising it. The weakness is that some album entries are brief, and Terry Chambers' EXTC at 94 plus Stewart Lee at 114 pad the edges of a special that is already long. The cover, built on Making Plans For Vinyl with Partridge, Moulding and Gregory named, is clear about what is inside. Buy this if you own more than two XTC records; casual readers will find it exhaustive.

Strengths
• Partridge, Moulding and Gregory all in one issue
• Producers explain the sound, not just praise it
• Every album covered from White Music to Wasp Star

Weaknesses
• Some album entries run brief
• EXTC and Stewart Lee pad the edges

Verdict: Essential for XTC collectors — Complete album-by-album treatment with all three principals.