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Record Store Day 2026: Live Boots - Live At Emerald City 1981 is the first of what we hope is a series of official releases of previously bootlegged performances. Recorded in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, on April 17, 1981, and originally broadcast on FM radio and released on bootleg LPs, it is now being released as a double LP on 200gm vinyl, mastering supervised by Andy Partridge. We hope this will also become available for download in the near future.

The 2025 Drums and Wires CD/Blu-ray presents the album and a number of additional tracks in Dolby Atmos, mixed and produced by Steven Wilson as he approached an album he first mixed in 2014 and again brings a fresh aural perspective to one of 1979’s most memorable albums – a line ascribed to the 2014 mixes that’s even more accurate now.

Steven Wilson comments that “during the remix process it became apparent that the masters of “Officer Blue” and “That is the Way” were both slowed down significantly for the original release. It’s not uncommon for tracks to be slightly speeded up during mastering to make them sound sprightlier, but no one could remember why, in this case, the tracks were slowed down. For the 2025 mixes, in consultation with Colin Moulding - songwriter of both titles - the decision was made to include B-side “Officer Blue” as the band recorded it, at the correct speed for the first time.

In the case of “That is the Way” - it being a key album track - the new mix has been slowed down to match the familiar album version but additionally, a bonus version is included which has no adjustment to the pitch and is exactly as the band recorded it”.

Joining the new Dolby Atmos mix is all of the audio material first presented on the (now long-unavailable) 2014 edition when Steven Wilson remixed the album in new stereo and 5.1 editions alongside a number of additional tracks all presented on Blu-ray here with minor revisions and a set of stereo instrumentals of the album.

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Recent Site Updates

April 19, 2026: Discography - XTC: Live Boots - Live At Emerald City 1981 – Official Bootleg
April 18, 2026: Songs - XTC: "When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty", XTC: "Towers Of London", XTC: "This is Pop?", XTC: "Statue of Liberty", XTC: "Sgt. Rock (Is Going To Help Me)", XTC: "Scissor Man", XTC: "Roads Girdle the Globe", XTC: "Respectable Street", XTC: "Real by Reel", XTC: "Paper and Iron (Notes and Coins)", XTC: "Outside World", XTC: "No Language In Our Lungs", XTC: "Making Plans for Nigel", XTC: "Love at First Sight", XTC: "Living Through Another Cuba", XTC: "Life Begins at the Hop", XTC: "Helicopter", XTC: "Generals and Majors", XTC: "Burning With Optimism's Flames", XTC: "Ball and Chain"; Discography - XTC: Drums and Wires
April 4, 2026: Songs - XTC: "Ten Feet Tall", XTC: "Officer Blue", XTC Reel by Real: Andy Partridge & Chris Braide: "Sister Shame", XTC Reel by Real: Andy Partridge + Chris Braide: "Woman At A Spinning Wheel"; Albums - Andy Partridge + Chris Braide: Queen Of The Planet Wow!; Discography - Chris Braide & Andy Partridge: Queen of the Planet Wow! – The Songs of Andy Partridge + Chris Braide, Andy Partridge & Chris Braide: Woman at a Spinning Wheel, Andy Partridge & Chris Braide: Sister Shame! – The High Priestess of Planet Wow Appears!
March 29, 2026: Albums - XTC: Transistor Blast - The Best of the BBC Sessions; Songs - Andy Partridge: "Maid Of Stars"
March 28, 2026: Press - Mike Visceglia interviews Colin Moulding, Mike Visceglia, January 15, 2004, “Amazon Wire”, Amazon.com, November 3, 2006, Reviews of Wasp Star – Apple Venus Volume 2 (2000), Reviews of Apple Box (October 2005)
March 15, 2026: Discography - Andy Partridge + Chris Braide: Return to Planet Wow!, Moving To The Sun

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