A NEW book about revered Swindon band XTC is about to be published.

Thanks mainly to social media, there is much love out there at the moment for a pop group that continues to have a major influence on musicians and songwriters around the world.

The band emerged from the new wave scene of the late 1970s, releasing 12 albums and enjoying some singles chart success with the likes of Making Plans For Nigel, Sgt Rock (Is Going To Help Me) and Sense Working Overtime.

The band finally split in the mid-1990s, but there was a brief revival when bass player and singer/songwriter Colin Moulding and drummer Terry Chambers got together last year under the guise TC&I, recording a four-track EP and playing a series of sell-out shows in the autumn at the Arts Centre in Old Town.

In 2017 long-time fan Mark Fisher produced The XTC Bumper Book of Fun for Boys and Girls, a labour of love that included interviews with band members Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding and Dave Gregory as well as with celebrity fans such as comedians Phill Jupitus, Stewart Lee and Kevin Eldon.

But the book also reproduced XTC fanzines, called Limelight, that Mark had compiled during the 1980s.

Now he is producing What Do You Call That Noise?, which draws in more famous fans.

“I’d only planned to make one book about Swindon’s finest musical export,” said Edinburgh-based Mark. “You’d think that’d be enough for anyone. But there’s something about XTC that draws you back in.

“As well as the old fanzines, that book had several new articles, including interviews with Stewart Lee and Phill Jupitus. That’s what inspired my second book. I reasoned that if comedians could be this interesting talking about XTC, then musicians would be more interesting still.

“So I set about tracking down all the famous fans I could find.”

Mark said he struck lucky, securing interviews with the likes of Chris Difford of Squeeze, The Jam’s Rick Buckler, Debbi Peterson from The Bangles, and Tracey Bryn of Voice Of The Beehive.

And he has spoken to band members again.

Mark said: “Dave Gregory gives his most in-depth interview ever, original keyboard player Barry Andrews reflects on his departure from XTC and Andy Partridge talks about the art of recording.

“There’s also an extended review of the TC&I gigs at Swindon Arts Centre, featuring Terry Chambers and Colin Moulding.

“It features much more besides, from teenage fans discovering XTC for the first time to a photo feature of Swindon landmarks.

“I can already feel a third book coming on.”

What Do You Call That Noise? An XTC Discovery Book is published on March 4 and is available to order from www.xtclimelight.com