Darryl Bullock was a massive fan of XTC, an avid record collector and one of the tireless organisers of the online and in-person XTC fan conventions. He died, way too young, on 23 December 2024.

He was such a pillar of the fan community that this month’s episode of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast is dedicated to him – with thoughts especially for his husband Niall Milligan.

As well as tributes from those who knew him, the podcast features a previously unreleased interview Darryl did with the artist Ken White at the XTC fan convention in Swindon in 2022. Ken painted several murals around Swindon, including the much missed Swindon celebrities mural, as well as painting the backdrop for the cover of XTC’s Black Sea.

Music from Dan Barrow.

Darryl Bullock links:

• Love and Fury: The Life, Death and Legacy of Joe Meek is published in the UK by Omnibus on 13 March 2025
• Blog
• The World’s Worst Records
• XTC collection
• On collecting
• Interviewing John Leckie
• On XTC from an LGBTQI+ perspective

Dan Barrow and The Florida Recounts

Ken White: Muralist and Painter, Amberley Publishing

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.

In this edition of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, we go behind the scenes to see how deals get signed, press releases get written and records get released. Joining us are Ronnie Gurr, who went from producing a punk fanzine to working in the Virgin press office; Mike Smith, who signed Andy Partridge to Warner Chappell Music as a songwriter; Ben Wardle, who paved the way for one of the collaborations between Andy and Stephen Duffy; and Youie Mourra, who got tantalisingly close to releasing a series of XTC retrospective collections.

Music from Jordan Cooper

XTC photos in Hanging Around Books

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.

Illustration of Andy Partridge by Mike Smith

In the second of a special two-part edition of What Do You Call That Noise? The XTC Podcast, supporters on Patreon ask questions they had always wanted Andy Partridge to answer that he never gets asked.

The challenge was to come up with questions that would surprise, delight and generally intrigue the XTC frontman. They do not disappoint!

The results take us on a fascinating journey from the Beatles to broccoli, from Fireball XL5 to The Last Balloon – and beyond.

Music from Chris Badley and Foolish Men.

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.