The EP and album that XTC’s Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding and Dave Gregory released under the guise of their psychedelic-pop side project The Dukes of Stratosphear in the mid-’80s will receive the expanded reissue treatment on March 24.
And while XTC played coy at the time and tried to distance itself from the pseudonymous side project — the band credited the Dukes for the loan of their guitars in the credits of 1986’s Skylarking — the association is now being played up. The cover art on both reissues has been altered to credit “XTC as the Dukes of Stratosphear.”
As for what’s on Ape Records’ remastered editions of 1985’s 25 O’Clock and 1987’s Psonic Psunspot, Ryko Distribution offers partial details on the two records, which previously only were available on CD as the combined Chips From the Chocolate Fireball.
The new edition of 25 O’Clock will feature the EP’s original six tracks, plus nine demos and extra recordings, as well as the video for “Mole from the Ministry.” Psonic Psunspot will feature the 11 original songs — including “Vanishing Girl,” one of the era’s great pop tunes — as well as five previously unreleased demos and a video for “You’re a Good Man Albert Brown.”
Both will come in hardback digibooks featuring new sleeve notes, additional artwork and archival photos, according to Ryko.
XTC fans also should watch for expanded, two-disc reissues of English Settlement, Skylarking and Oranges & Lemons, which are expected later this year.
