Chalkhills: The XTC Resource
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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.
Other News
Recent Site Updates
March 29, 2026: Albums - XTC: Transistor Blast - The Best of the BBC Sessions, 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; 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: Gallery - B-side of the flexi-disc from the April 1992 issue of Reflex magazine with “Rip Van Ruben (Home Demo)”; Discography - Andy Partridge + Chris Braide: Return to Planet Wow!, Moving To The Sun
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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.