We’re over halfway through the XTC Anniversary posts, with six more albums to go by the end of the year. The last album we looked at was the band’s final album, Wasp Star, and we more recently took a sideways step into the Stratosphear to have a gander at Psonic Psunspot by XTC’s alter egos, The Dukes of Stratosphear.
But today we go all the way back to 1979 for the 47th anniversary of Drums and Wires, a point in the band’s history which heralded a number of changes. Not only had Barry Andrews left (he’d go onto form the rock band, Shriekback in 1981), with Dave Gregory replacing him, bringing in a more guitar-orientated sound to XTC, but this was the album where Colin Moulding stepped out of Andy Partridge’s shadow, both in terms of finding his own vocal style and marking an improvement in his songwriting skills.
I’ve mentioned my origins story with XTC before, and it was this album that was the gateway into becoming a fan, though I didn’t love it straight away. It did take at least two listens for me to get it. But get it I eventually did, and the rest is history!
Cover Design: Well, the design is hard to miss with its bold, primary colours. I love the incorporation of the band logo into the face of the green-haired figure. The cover was created by artist Jill Mumford after a meeting with Andy Partridge to discuss ideas, with Jill scribbling the initial design on a cigarette packet.
Making Plans For Nigel (Moulding)
The song that springs to most people’s minds when they’re asked if they know any XTC songs (though it was only their third-biggest hit, in the UK anyway). With a new line-up came a new direction for the Swindon quartet. Here, the band sound tighter, the music is confident and mature. The dream team of Steve Lillywhite and Hugh Padgham work their magic as producer and engineer, respectively, to give Drums and Wires its own identity. Colin’s songs were welcomed by the band’s label, Virgin, and it was he who the company looked to for the singles. In fact, all three singles from the album, this opening track, the Canada-only release of Ten Feet Tall, were written by the bassist. Making Plans For Nigel is a great song about parental domination, and deserving of it’s Top 20 placing. I love the whispering that accompanies the verses, though I’m not sure if it’s Colin or Andy. I love the high “Ooh-ooh-ooh” in the chorus, and the repetition of “steel” when everything briefly falls away to leave just the drums and the vocals before coming back in. Chambers’ drumming has an interesting emphasis on the tom and hi-hats. The song also has a nice chord progression in the verses (G – Em – Bm) which I find quite relaxing to strum on the guitar.
Lyrics: We’re only making plans for Nigel / He has his future in a British Steel / We’re only making plans for Nigel / His future is as good as sealed
Helicopter (Partridge)
Or what I call the “Work-out” song. Even though it’s just shy of 4 minutes long, it’s quite a work-out to dance to this one! The first Andy Partridge track on the album, the guitarist continues using a playful vocal style he’d displayed on previous albums. The outro features what sounds like the whirl of a helicopter but is in fact a guitar! A fun, energetic track which was one of the contender to be released as a single, though the band didn’t like single mix, so the plan was shelved.
Lyrics: She a laughing giggly whirlybird / She got to be obscene to be obheard
Day In Day Out (Moulding)
Quite a laid-back sound for the band. The second of four Colin-penned tracks on Drums and Wires. The verses lyrics of “Day in” and “Day out” are spoken, which was an interesting choice. I only realise listening back to this track as I write this that I seem to focus on following the bass more when it’s a Colin song. The time signature seems to change a little in the outro, I think. Not one of the most memorable songs on the album, but since Colin seemed to be relegated to only a few tracks on each LP, his songs are always welcomed.
Lyrics: Wish you were here / On the shop floor / And together we could / Count the dots on the wall
When You’re Near Me I Have Difficulty (Partridge)
When you’re near me… is a quirky track with a feel of the 1960s in the rhythm section. There’s the brief sound of an instrument during the “jellyfish” line in the verses which just fits the imagery perfectly. There’s also a lovely guitar solo, possibly by new boy Gregory, that comes after the bridge that isn’t overcomplicated or self-indulgent. This quirky love song ends similarly to the previous track, with a change in the time signature (though I’m far from clever enough to know what it is exactly).
Lyrics: I used to be an iceman / Living in iceman town / So I’m warning all you cool cool icemen / You’d better be prepared to be melted right down
Ten Feet Tall (Moulding)
The only song I warmed to on my very first listen of the album (I soon came to adore the majority of the tracklist). Another mid-tempo Colin track, this starts with the brief sound of a guitar before someone, who I’ve come to learn is Dave Gregory, saying “Why stop there?” before they launch into Ten Feet Tall. I still really like this track and it’s such a shame it wasn’t released here in the UK – I wonder how it’d have fared if it had, especially if released after Making Plans For Nigel. This has a gorgeous sound to it, with lovely double-track vocals in the refrain. For a short while after hearing this track, I wondered who was singing the chorus part but, of course, it’s Colin changing his vocal style to sound slightly harsher than his more gentle voice elsewhere in the song.
Lyrics: Happy I’m floating / Around on my feet now / You make me go dizzy / I’m weak at the knees
Roads Girdle The Globe (Partridge)
Unfortunately, probably one of my least favourite from the album. Musically, I don’t mind it but there’s nothing here that really hooks me. I’ve never had a problem with Andy’s ‘barking seal’ vocals before but I don’t think it helps here. I did pause writing this to look up the guitar chords and have a strum (sometimes songs that I don’t warm to, I can appreciate more when they’re stripped back) but I just think it’s simply one I don’t gel with.
Lyrics: Am I asleep / Or am I fast / You every race / You first, you last
Real By Reel (Partridge)
A song about surveillance and invasion of privacy. The descending/ascending sound at the beginning was Andy himself. This is a fun bop with a theme that’s more appropriate now than ever, with a great solo by Dave Gregory which I’m not even going to try and attempt to learn myself. Andy’s vocals are in a transitional style on much of the album – though nowhere near the more confident, pseudo-american delivery of later albums.
Lyrics: They can film you in bed / Or when you take a bath / They can tape every cry / They can tape every laugh
Millions (Partridge)
The second track I’m not hugely keen on. Melody-wise, it just doesn’t grab me. Unlike Roads Girdle, I find the lyrics of Millions interesting enough. The bass here reminds me of The Police, a little. There’s a fake ending about a minute from the real ending, which I’m not sure was necessary.
Lyrics: We smelled your soup on the fire cooking / We saw your toys and your pencils looking bright / So bright and yet they come from oh so far away
That Is The Way (Moulding)
And we come to the end of Colin’s contributions with This Is The Way. Similarly to Nigel, this is another song about parents and being told what to do. I used to find the “Do this, do that” utterings at the start of this track a little annoying. But they don’t last long and actually they perfectly sum up the theme of the lyrics – nagging parents! One of the shorter tracks on the album, there’s the sound of a fugelhorn, as played by Dick Cuthell – the first time the band had used a session musician on a record.
Lyrics: Go and speak to your niece / Kiss your aunt on the cheek / Don’t talk back, now run along / It’s gone eight, say goodnight
Outside World (Partridge)
The verse melody reminds me of another tune, but I can’t think what. A fast-tempo little rocker which, like When You’re Near Me, has a bit of a ‘60s vibe to it. I like when things are paired back ever so slightly for the “Outside world… outside” moments. It’s a song that I sometimes forget about, but thoroughly enjoy bopping to it when I do hear it.
Lyrics: She has six swans singing in her sauna / So she can’t hear what’s going on / She can’t hear what’s going on
Scissor Man (Partridge)
A cautionary tale is Scissor Man, based on the old German tale Struwwelpeter by Heinrich Hoffman. The song has an interesting structure to it, ending with what sounds like a partly-improvised dub outro. I really like how the lead vocals and drums match at certain points (“So be kind”, “Just think twice” and so on). And talking of the vocals – I don’t know if this will make sense – I love the curving of the vocal melody in the verses. Just the whole production is fantastic, right down to the keyboards (or is that guitar??) that come tripping in during that dub ending.
Lyrics: Snipping, snipping, snipping goes the Scissor Man / Putting end to evildoer’s games / Snipping, snipping, snipping goes the Scissor Man / Maybe you are in his book of names
Complicated Game (Partridge)
“Wow!” was my first thought when I initially heard the closing track, Complicated Game. It starts off so sparse and quietly sung before building into a cacophony of sound; haunting guitar notes and shouting. It’s such an intense song that doesn’t sound like XTC up to that point, and such a good choice for the closer. There’s nowhere else it could have come in the album.
Sometimes I can’t help but envisage imagery for a song and for Complicated Game we get an extreme close-up of Andy singing quietly into a microphone, utterly fed up and frustrated. As the song and intensity builds, the camera very slowly pans out to find him and the rest of the band with string tied to them as if puppets being controlled by unseen hands above, and then at the end of the song the strings are let go and the band members collapse to the floor. (maybe I should save that idea for a short story!)
Lyrics: It doesn’t really matter where I put my finger / Someone else will come along and move it / And it’s always been the same / It’s just a complicated game
Next time… XTC did like their August releases, because we’re not done with the anniversary posts for this month. On 30th August, I’ll be publishing my track-by-track musings on the 1983 album, Mummer.
Some of you may be aware by now but Colin Moulding is releasing new music! Want It Bad (The Pep Talk and Playing Fields of Old England) is a 3-track CD single out on 18th September 2026, and can be pre-ordered by clicking the title above. An accompanying music video can be found on YouTube. Also, today is Colin’s 71st birthday – many happy returns, Colin!
Meanwhile over on Bluesky, the XTC listening parties continue with SKYLARKING the focus of the next listen-along on Wednesday 26 August at 9pm BST. Follow @xtclisteningparty there and join the party if you can. You’ll need your own copy of the album.
Further Reading and Listening
