What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast

Steve Conte on songwriting (ft XTC's Andy Partridge)

What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast

Show Notes

As Steve Conte releases his Fourth of July single, the guitarist and singer talks about writing songs with his XTC hero, joining the New York Dolls and playing on stage with Chuck Berry. He also gives tantalising pointers to his forthcoming album of co-writes with Andy Partridge.

This episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast also includes comments from Andy Partridge himself, plus sad news about Ian C Stewart.

Music courtesy of Don Kerr and Communism.

Steve Conte

Limited edition Fourth of July on 7" blue vinyl

Communism

XTC fan tribute compilations by the late Ian C Stewart:

https://archive.org/details/TheXtcFansTribute-Skylacking

https://archive.org/details/TheXtcFansTribute-ObsceneCollection

https://archive.org/details/TheXtcFansTribute-BeastsIveSeen/

What Do You Call That Noise? An XTC Discovery Book available from www.xtclimelight.com

If you’ve enjoyed What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, please show your support at https://www.patreon.com/markfisher

Thanks to the Pink Things, Humble Daisies and Knights in Shining Karma who’ve done the same.

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

More from What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast

Oct 9, 2026

In this packed edition of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, Anton Barbeau talks about his latest album, Come Home to Me, featuring Colin Moulding on bass, Dave Gregory on guitar and Lord Cornelius Plum on Mellotron. Ashely LeCron and Mark Fisher ask the questions.

Sep 18, 2026

27 October 2026 is the 40th anniversary of XTC’s Skylarking and a big birthday deserves a big celebration. Joining us at the party for this episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast are XTC’s Colin Moulding, Blur’s drummer Dave Rowntree, BBC Radio 4 presenter Samira Ahmed and Labour Member of Parliament Rupa Huq. As well as 40 years of Skylarking, they talk about Want it Bad, the new single by Colin Moulding, released on 18 September 2026 and available from Burning Shed. Want it Bad by Colin Moulding A Hard Day's Night (BFI Film Classics) by Samira Ahmed No One You Know: Dave Rowntree's Early Blur Photos What Do You Call that Noise? The XTC Podcast is sponsored by Burning Shed, the online home for all XTC CD, vinyl and official merchandise.

Aug 14, 2026

The special guest in today’s episode of What Do You Call that Noise? The XTC Podcast is Steve Lillywhite who, in 1979, was the 24-year-old producer of Life Begins at the Hop, XTC’s first single featuring Dave Gregory, followed by Drums and Wires and then 1980’s Black Sea. All these years later, he still looks back at it as a charmed period of his life.

Jul 17, 2026

Published on 16 July 2026, Record Collector presents… XTC is a whole magazine dedicated to Swindon’s finest. If features interviews with Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding, Dave Gregory and Terry Chambers, as well as insights from Steve Lillywhite, John Leckie, Hugh Padgham, Nick Davis and Mike Batt.

Jun 12, 2026

In this episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, author Jon Woolcott talks about The Tattooed Hills, his new book about the chalk figures of southern England, including the Uffington White Horse, cover star of XTC’s English Settlement. “It’s timeless, simple and classic,” Andy Partridge tells him in the final chapter of the book.

See all episodes →