XTC will follow up its just-announced expanded audiophile reissue of 1992’s Nonsuch with a similarly made-over re-release of the band’s classic 1979 album Drums and Wires sometime next spring that will feature a new 5.1 Surround mix that frontman Andy Partridge reveals is “so good it’s upped my opinion of the album.”
Partridge made the comments about the new 5.1 mix by Porcupine Tree frontman Steven Wilson on Twitter late last week (he particularly noted “COMPLICATED GAME=breathtaking”), sparking a long-back and forth about the album not just with fans, but with the record’s original producer, Steve Lillywhite, as well (“I have always said recording with you guys was pretty much the easiest ever”).
Heard 5.1 mix of DRUMS AND WIRES at Steven Wilson’s yesterday. So good,it’s upped my opinion of the album.COMPLICATED GAME=breathtaking.
— XTC (@xtcfans) August 10, 2013
As we reported last week, the reissue of Nonsuch is due out Oct. 7 in CD/Blu-ray and CD/DVD-Audio packages. That release has been billed as the first in a new series of XTC expanded reissues, and while no further details were announced about upcoming release schedules, Partridge does reveal, in his tweets, that Drums and Wires is due out in spring 2014.
As for what other albums will receive expanded reissues with new 5.1 mixes, Partridge says of record label EMI: “If they can find the tapes, we can put them out… IF.”
It’s also worth noting that while the new Nonsuch reissue has not been announced in any vinyl formats, Partridge previously had discussed plans for a new vinyl cut of Drums and Wires.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- XTC launches new reissue series with expanded audiophile edition of ‘Nonsuch’
- Andy Partridge: New 5.1 Surround mix commissioned for XTC’s ‘Nonsuch’ album
- Vintage Video: XTC performs for ‘Rockpalast’ on German TV in 1982 — full 70-minute gig
- Andy Partridge prepping ‘nice new vinyl cut’ of XTC’s ‘Drums and Wires’ for reissue
- XTC reveals ‘banned’ pubic-hair cover art for upcoming ‘Skylarking’ vinyl reissue
- XTC’s ‘Skylarking’ vinyl reissue ‘30% better sounding,’ will restore original artwork
What an excellent collection of tapes you have there. :)
I really hope they continue releasing these in a staggered schedule. Some of these re-issue campaigns roll out everything at once, are really expensive, and usually go out of print as soon as you blink.
Fixed version of Skylarking that came out on vinyl 2 years ago, plz.
Mr. Wilson certainly has been busy.
From fixing my favorite prog of the 70’s to one of my top XTC faves (already pretty nice sounding), I can only hope we see vinyl of all these too.
5.1 is nice and all, but.
I’m with Jeb on wanting to have the “fixed” version of Skylarking. Hope that EMI have looked after the tapes and we get the whole XTC catalogue released this way.
XTC are in my top 5 bands of all time. That being said, I fail to see (hear?) why “fixing” album filler like “Complicated Game” makes the album worthy of buying in the new format. I bought the vinyl in 1979; I’ve taken good care of it in the meantime, and it has and will continue to serve me well played through an audiophile hifi system.
the idea of Complicated Game being album “filler” is, quite simply, preposterous.
Seconded. An EPIC album closer from the classic touring period.
Anyone who thinks the boring vinyl stereo version has any chance of sounding as good or interesting as a digital 5.1 surround version needs to get their hearing tested.
Excellent