Chalkhills: The XTC Resource

Updated: 14 March 2023

Top Headlines

Andy Partridge: My Failed Christmas Career Volume 1
September 4, 2022: Mr. Partridge returns with another volume in his continuing demo series. This volume is entitled My Failed Christmas Career - Volume 1, and is now available for pre-order. The EP will be released on 21 October 2022 on CD and 12-inch vinyl. One of the songs was recorded by The Monkees, but this EP includes the original demo version with lead vocals by Holly Partridge.
Andy Partridge: My Failed Songwriting Career Volume 2
February 27, 2022: Volume 2 of My Failed Songwriting Career is now available for pre-order, and will be released on 8 April 2022. These songs were written by Mr. Partridge for other artists, but were not used, and so he has recorded them and released them himself.
Colin Moulding: The Hardest Battle
May 23, 2021: Burning Shed announces Colin Moulding: The Hardest Battle, his first ever solo release (if you disregard the single by "The Colonel", that is). The EP contains two songs and an "exploratory demo". It is characterized as a tantalising glimpse into the creative process of one of the UK's finest songwriters. The EP will be released on 2 July 2021, pre-order now.
Andy Partridge: My Failed Songwriting Career
March 6, 2021: In Episode 28 of The ProgCast, Andy Partridge said he will be releasing 16 "or so" EPs over an unspecified period, containing demos of songs written for other artists, which he's calling My Failed Songwriting Career. Most of the artists requested songs in a certain style (for example, "McCartney", classic rock, folk, Christmas, etc.). Andy would write several songs for them to choose from, and they would pick one, often not the one he thought was the best, leaving him with an enormous backlog of worthy songs. The songs are not about himself, but written to order or, as he says, it's him "in fancy dress." Most of these demos were recorded very quickly, sometimes with the artist present, so he's spending time now "tarting them up" for release, but only the best (in his opinion) of the many demos that were recorded. Volume 1 will be released on 23 July. [Thanks to Tom Demi]

Ape House News

October 10, 2018: CLASSIC XTC VINYL RELEASES
September 29, 2017: BLACK SEA now in 5.1
March 8, 2017: POWERS RETURNED
December 3, 2016: XTC SHIRTS AU GO GO
October 17, 2016: SKYLARKING NOW IN 5.1

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Chalkhills is a web resource dedicated to XTC (the now defunct band). Peruse Chalkhills to find a wealth of information about XTC, their music and recordings, and much more.

Chalkhills was created by me, John Relph, and is infrequently updated (I try to have a life) so check back often. Chalkhills was the longest extant XTC mailing list, created in April 1989 as an offshoot of the venerable Love-Hounds list and killed off (in a bizarre kitchen accident, of course) in August 2014. Chalkhills is the longest extant XTC web site, first hacked together in May 1994, although FTP archives were first made available in April 1991.
“Shut your wretched pie trap, you ridiculous prick.”
© John Relph

Other News

February 18
Doug Downing has some ideas on “Vanishing Girl”.
February 11
Tim Harris has scratched an itch, and posted chords to “Love's What I Want” (a bonus track on The Monkees' CD Good Times!).
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Recent Site Updates

February 18, 2023: Press - Reviews of Oranges & Lemons (1989); Songs - The Dukes of Stratosphear: "Vanishing Girl"
February 11, 2023: Discography - Steve Conte: Wicked Cool, Launch 43, The History of Punk Vol. 1, Lounge Music Volume 3 – Vital Presents Best of 98, XTC: Drums and Wires, Laughing Stock: Songs For The Future
January 14, 2023: Discography - Anton Barbeau: Morgenmusick

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Twitter: apehouseXTC

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